Frederick Elkington Pitchers

An exceptional, fine and impressive pair of antique Victorian English sterling silver claret jugs made by Elkington & Co; an addition to our Victorian silverware collection These exceptional antique Victorian sterling silver jugs have a tapering ovoid body onto a circular domed foot, in a Classic ewer style. The waisted neck of the each jug is embellished with a bright cut engraved undulating band of stylised leaf decoration flanked by plain applied ornamentations in addition to a broad band of scroll and simplified Akroter designs. Each jug is ornamented with individual fine and impressive female Grecian style figures, the first bearing a vine terminating staff and holding out a handled bowl, another passive character featuring long braids in her hair and holding her skirt in one hand and a tied bundle of wheat in the other and the third holding in both hands grapes with flowing garments intertwining her body. The lower portion of each body is encircled with a band of lobed decoration incorporating a circular motif to each alternating terminal, all filled with a matte pattern. These antique silver jugs are fitted with hallmarked domed hinged covers surmounted with an impressive scrolling lobed thumbpiece and featuring an imposing scrolling hinge. These Victorian silver jugs are fitted with fine and impressive cast sterling silver ribbed handles embellished with leaf designs enveloping four scrolling branches. The domed foot of each solid silver jug...